PHOENIX: GUARDS: With Steve Nash gone, GORAN DRAGIC takes over at the point. He was a monster as a starter in Houston late last year, and he's familiar with Phoenix's system from his time there as Nash's backup . . . SHANNON BROWN is one of the league's better sixth men and could end up seeing close to starter minutes this year. Once just a raw athlete, he's made major strides as a shooter and ball-handler . . . KENDALL MARSHALL was a bit of a product of an absurdly talented supporting cast in college at UNC. He's got work to do to become an NBA-caliber starter, but he'll be capable enough as a backup point guard as a rookie . . . SEBASTIAN TELFAIR still can't hit an open jump shot, but will factor into the backcourt rotation. FORWARDS: LUIS SCOLA steps in as the starting four. While he's in his 30's and an underwhelming athlete, he's crafty and relentless . . . JARED DUDLEY will continue to be their main catch-and-shoot threat on the wing. It might take a while to develop an on-court chemistry with Dragic . . . MICHAEL BEASLEY has a chance to grab a starting spot. He rarely has his head on straight, but he can score . . . CHANNING FRYE, the sharp-shooting 7-footer, will likely miss the 2012-13 season due to an enlarged heart, but this condition is expected to completely heal . . . WESLEY JOHNSON gets a fresh start. He needs to start knocking down shots to land a rotation spot . . . MARKIEFF MORRIS showed flashes as a rookie, but has to make better decisions on the offensive end. He'll be a key on the second unit . . . Well-traveled P.J. TUCKER earned himself a roster spot with an impressive Summer League. CENTERS: MARCIN GORTAT had a great year-and-a-half alongside Steve Nash, and he'll have to prove he can create in the low post a little more. But he's a skilled big man who should pair nicely with Luis Scola as a scorer and passer in the post . . . Injury-riddled JERMAINE O'NEAL is still a strong low-post defender and shot-blocker.

HOUSTON: GUARDS: Houston has gutted its roster, and this is JEREMY LIN's team now. Coach Kevin McHale will use the same pick-and-roll offense he used with Goran Dragic, and Lin should do what he did in New York a year ago . . . KEVIN MARTIN is on the trade block. As long as he's in Houston, he'll be in and out of McHale's doghouse, especially seeing that he's not in the long-term plans . . . JEREMY LAMB should push Martin for minutes early. Lamb will have some defensive issues, but he's a cagey scorer who should mesh well with Lin . . . CARLOS DELFINO replaces Chase Budinger as the team's most reliable marksman from three-point range . . . TONEY DOUGLAS' defensive ability puts him in the running for a rotation spot . . . SHAUN LIVINGSTON can give them 12 to 15 minutes a night . . . Rookie SCOTT MACHADO, an outstanding passer, will back up Lin . . . GARY FORBES will have trouble finding minutes. FORWARDS: CHANDLER PARSONS was a nice surprise a year ago. He's a fifth option offensively but does the hustle/energy thing well . . . 2011 first-rounder DONATAS MOTIEJUNAS is a skilled 7-footer who fits with Lin. Expect him to grab a starting job by midseason, but he can also play center when required . . . This might be the year PATRICK PATTERSON makes an impact. His game is limited, but he can rebound and score around the basket . . . ROYCE WHITE is a 270-pounder with point guard skills. He needs the ball in his hands though, which is why he's not a great fit with Lin in the starting lineup . . . TERRENCE JONES has a tweener skill set. At this point, he's better suited for the second unit . . . Speaking of 'tweeners, MARCUS MORRIS looks to be nowhere near contributing. CENTERS: OMER ASIK earned his reputation as a defensive stud in Chicago, and he'll get a little more offensive freedom in Houston. He is quite foul-prone though, and he'll be tested on the free-throw line early and often . . . His backup, GREG SMITH, has more fouls (17) than points (14) in his 69-minute NBA career.

The Houston Rockets' winning streak is over, but their first playoff spot in four seasons is in sight.

A matchup with the Western Conference-worst Phoenix Suns should help the Rockets move closer to that goal.

Houston could have Chandler Parsons and Carlos Delfino back Tuesday night in the start of a three-game homestand.

With a chance to match a season-best five-game win streak, the Rockets (43-34) gave up their most points in a regulation game this season on Saturday, losing 132-114 at Denver. Thirty-two of those points came off Houston's 19 turnovers.

Parsons, the team's second-highest scorer (15.3 ppg) behind James Harden (25.8), missed his second straight game with a right calf injury, while Delfino sat for a third in a row with flu-like symptoms.

"I think throwing the ball to them was a bigger focal point (than missing Chandler and Delfino)," said coach Kevin McHale after the 2-1 trip. "They had 32 points off our turnovers and 18 points off offensive rebounds. There's no defense for throwing them the ball for a layup. It's hard to overcome."

The Rockets, one game behind Golden State for the sixth spot in the West, will try to regroup at Toyota Center, where they've won 13 of 16. Had Utah (41-37) lost to the Warriors on Sunday, Houston could have locked up its first playoff berth since 2008-09 on Tuesday with a win. The Jazz, though, defeated Golden State 97-90 to move one-half game ahead of the ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers (40-37).

While the Rockets try to secure their postseason spot, the Suns (23-54) are finishing one of the worst seasons in team history. Phoenix - last in the Western Conference - kicks off its three-game trip after dropping a franchise-record seventh straight in the desert on Sunday, 95-92 to New Orleans.

The Suns' nine-game losing streak is their longest since a franchise-worst 13-game skid to begin 1996-97.

"There's no reason why to be positive," former Rocket Luis Scola said. "So how are we going to stay positive? Nobody should be positive. We have to work hard. The way we do it is we realize that we have problems and that we need to fix them."

The third quarter needs immediate attention. The Suns have been outscored by an average of 17.3 points in that period over the last three games.

"We have to look deeper into it and see what's going on because it's like a trend for us," said interim coach Lindsey Hunter, whose team has dropped 15 of 17.

The Suns came out flat in the second half of a 111-81 loss at Houston on March 13, getting outscored 32-17 in the 12 minutes after the break.

Houston ended a three-game skid in this series with the victory and ruined the return of Scola and point guard Goran Dragic, who re-signed with the Suns last summer after spending 2011-12 and a part of the previous season with the Rockets.

Dragic had 11 points and four assists in that contest, but he also scored 14 of his 18 in the fourth quarter of a 107-105 home win over Houston on March 9.

Harden, who set a team single-season record with his 631st free throw on Saturday, is 15 of 16 from the line against the Suns this season. He also has a team-best 56 points and 10 3-pointers in 15 attempts in the two games.